As part of activities marking the Covenant University’s 12th Founder’s Day Ceremony on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, new ultramodern Health Centre and Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Studies were commissioned.

The events, which took place immediately after the University’s general assembly to appreciate God for His faithfulness in the affairs of the University, drew members of the Living Faith Church in Canaan Land (the proprietor base), the University’s Management, Faculty, Staff and students.

Welcoming the Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo to the commissioning of the new Health Centre facility situated in the students’ residential area, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Ayo, noted that the event was an attestation to the commitment of the proprietor base to the development of the University and the wellbeing of the community.

Professor Ayo said that the University with the population of about 9, 000 also service, not only the need of her students, but other neighbouring higher institutions.

“We are most delighted for this landscape already added to the University. In spite of the fact that we don’t have a medical school, this will go a long way to meet the needs of people here and the Ota community and by so doing, make giant contributions to the community impact of Covenant University”, he said.

The Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo, while making analogy of the Good Samaritan in the scriptures, declared that the Health Centre was supposed to be a “Care Centre”, while Jesus is the “Master Curer”.

He said, “We have come here to be sure that wounds are not allowed to degenerate and cause havoc, and to the glory of God, this place will be a restoration centre. Everyone that is slated for death shall come here and find life.

He, therefore, declared it opened for the health of the University community and the surrounding communities, adding that, “Everyone brought here shall experience the hand of God and speedy recovery”.

The Director of the Centre, Dr. Tunde Toogun, led the Chancellor and his entourage on tour of the facility, which has 70 beds space, two operating theatres, 15 private wards, adult and children wards, ante-natal and neo-natal wards, Laboratory, and Pharmacy, among others.

At the new ultramodern Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Studies (CEDS), the Vice-Chancellor said that it was no longer news that Covenant University pioneered Entrepreneurial Development Studies in Nigeria, but what was most important was the new thing the University was bringing on board.

“We have been privileged to train the heads of other institutions in Nigeria, and to the glory of God, this scheme that started through the visionary leadership of the Chancellor has now been embraced across tertiary institutions in the country.

“What we are here to do is the commencement of the next phase. To the glory of God, we have the approval of the Chancellor to have cottage industries and farm businesses for others to learn from. Through his visionary leadership, we are sure to continuously take the lead while others follow”, he stated.

In his remarks, the Chancellor noted that entrepreneurship is all about sensitivity and sensibility, that is, being conscious of the needs around and being sensible enough to take advantage of it by creating solutions.

He decried the fact that most educated people are not entrepreneurs in anyway because the colonial mentality has tied them to paid employment. The private sector, according to him, is what grows large economy and it has its foundation in entrepreneurship.

“The driving force of any economy is the private sector and they have to begin from entrepreneurship platform, that is, people seeing needs and designing solutions that bring them profits, while they offer services. Therefore, to sensitive and sensible people, entrepreneurship offers unending opportunities for a profitable living.

“I want this to become a centre for promoting sensitivity and sensibility. It will change the entire process. It is supposed to be a centre for solving social problems and the way to do this is to provide platforms for it. We must go heavily after case studies that would provoke people’s potentials”, he charged.

The Director of the Centre, Dr. Chinonye Moses, conducted the Chancellor and other members of the Management round the facility, which she said has spaces to accommodate most of the vocations offered in the centre.

Also at the commissioning were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Taiwo Abioye, Registrar, Dr. Olumuyiwa Oludayo, the Resident Pastor and former Registrar of the University, Pastor Ubong Ntia, Deans of Colleges and Postgraduate School, Deputy Deans of Schools, Directors, Heads of Departments, staff and members from the proprietor base.